A team of researchers at Johns Hopkins recently showed that almost everyone with high blood pressure can lower it with lifestyle Most people with high blood pressure do not get their blood pressure to return to normal just by taking drugs. This is the first study to show that a combination of the known lifestyle changes can reduce high blood pressure in people on drugs for high blood pressure.

All people in the study were overweight and were taking only one drug to treat to treat their high blood pressure. The lifestyle group was taught the DASH diet and participated in a supervised, moderate-intensity exercise program three times per week. After nine weeks, they lost more than 12 pounds, systolic blood pressure dropped 12.1 mm of mercury, while diastolic blood pressure dropped 6.6 mm Hg (P<0.001). They dropped their cholesterol 25 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 18 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol 5 mg/dL. The authors concluded that "among hypertensive overweight adults already on antihypertensive medication, a comprehensive lifestyle intervention can substantially lower blood pressure and improve blood pressure control."
Eighty-five percent of all Americans will develop high blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure and your doctor has put you on one or more medications and has not told you that lifestyle changes are far more important than drugs, you should get a second opinion.
Results of the Diet, Exercise, and Weight loss Intervention Trial (DEW-IT). Hypertension, 2002, Vol 40, Iss 5, pp 612-618. ER Miller, TP Erlinger, DR Young, M Jehn, J Charleston, D Rhodes, SK Wasan, LJ Appel. Miller ER, Johns Hopkins Med Inst, Welch Ctr Prevent Epidemiol & Clin Res, 2024 E Monument St, Suite 2-624, Baltimore,MD 21205 USA
Checked 9/3/05

About the Author: Gabe Mirkin, MD

Sports medicine doctor, fitness guru and long-time radio host Gabe Mirkin, M.D., brings you news and tips for your healthful lifestyle. A practicing physician for more than 50 years and a radio talk show host for 25 years, Dr. Mirkin is a graduate of Harvard University and Baylor University College of Medicine. He is board-certified in four specialties: Sports Medicine, Allergy and Immunology, Pediatrics and Pediatric Immunology. The Dr. Mirkin Show, his call-in show on fitness and health, was syndicated in more than 120 cities.
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